06-11-2008, 10:00 AM
I am encouraged to read that the questions re. waiawi are getting somewhat better, although I am not convinced that many have taken the time to read the actual Environmental Assessment, so they know exactly what is proposed and what the outcomes will be. Also, those that attended the meeting will know that it was never advertised as a debate, but as an oppurtunity to learn from the US Forest Service and other supporting agencies why strawberry guava needs biocontrol.
Carey captured some of the points from that meeting. To respond to some of the recent postings, you gotta eat the leaves if you want to eat the scale. If you want to eat Drosophila spp. or oriental fruit fly maggots, eat the ripe fruit. A publication (Eitam, A. and R.I. Vargas 2007 Annals of Entomological Soc. of America Vol 100 p.603) by Dr. Roger Vargas (who spoke at the meeting) documented a range of 72 to 110 oriental fruit flies emerging per kilogram of waiawi fruit. Now figure how many kilograms of fruit are produced per season over 291,650 acres (from talk by J. Denslow USFS at that meeting) just on the Big Isle alone. Each main island has plenty more. And you don't think there is an impact our on tropical fruit production now or in the future? Growers use pesticide bait spray to control them and that costs time and money.
Insects imported for classical biocontrol to control alien pests are referred to as NATURAL enemies. Always have been. Classical BC is re-uniting a pest with what controls it within its native range. Soemthing you don't want the average guy doing in his back yard here. That's why the govenment does it. Domingo Cravalho of the HDOA at that meeting reviewed in great detail all the years of review and oversight that have been done on the scale. It's not an evil plot against pakalolo growers,it's a last ditch effort to save our heritage native Hawaiian forest.
Sure there is a small risk, but it's better than watching what is truly diverse Hawaiian forest disappear and get replaced by a single plant from Brazil. If you like the plant that much move to Brazil where the bugs keep it under excellent control!
Lastly, if you think there is a lot of waiawi now, just wait until we get one or both species of frugivorous bul bul from Oahu. I said when, not if.
Carey captured some of the points from that meeting. To respond to some of the recent postings, you gotta eat the leaves if you want to eat the scale. If you want to eat Drosophila spp. or oriental fruit fly maggots, eat the ripe fruit. A publication (Eitam, A. and R.I. Vargas 2007 Annals of Entomological Soc. of America Vol 100 p.603) by Dr. Roger Vargas (who spoke at the meeting) documented a range of 72 to 110 oriental fruit flies emerging per kilogram of waiawi fruit. Now figure how many kilograms of fruit are produced per season over 291,650 acres (from talk by J. Denslow USFS at that meeting) just on the Big Isle alone. Each main island has plenty more. And you don't think there is an impact our on tropical fruit production now or in the future? Growers use pesticide bait spray to control them and that costs time and money.
Insects imported for classical biocontrol to control alien pests are referred to as NATURAL enemies. Always have been. Classical BC is re-uniting a pest with what controls it within its native range. Soemthing you don't want the average guy doing in his back yard here. That's why the govenment does it. Domingo Cravalho of the HDOA at that meeting reviewed in great detail all the years of review and oversight that have been done on the scale. It's not an evil plot against pakalolo growers,it's a last ditch effort to save our heritage native Hawaiian forest.
Sure there is a small risk, but it's better than watching what is truly diverse Hawaiian forest disappear and get replaced by a single plant from Brazil. If you like the plant that much move to Brazil where the bugs keep it under excellent control!
Lastly, if you think there is a lot of waiawi now, just wait until we get one or both species of frugivorous bul bul from Oahu. I said when, not if.